


Hooked

by ReaderJane



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Creepy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-19
Updated: 2011-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-28 17:17:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/310200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaderJane/pseuds/ReaderJane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spike reads a story to Dawn's daughter</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hooked

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the December 2011 sb_fag_ends Spuffy Advent prompts, Pantomime - Tinkerbell and He's Behind You!  
> Timeline: post-series  
> Disclaimer: still not mine, alas

"Tinkerbell!"

"Cor, not Tinkerbell, we've read it a dozen times."

The curly-haired moppet scrunched up her nose. Spike suspected she knew exactly how vulnerable he was to her resolve face, as well as how many times he could be browbeaten into reading the Peter Pan picture book before outright rebellion took over. He longed for the day she'd be ready for chapter stories.

"Right, give it here," he sighed.

All smiles, Dawn's daughter clambered onto his lap. Page One, the Darling children in their sissified London home. Spike consoled himself with thoughts of eating the nanny.

As they turned the pages Spike listened for Dawn and Buffy returning from Christmas shopping. Alex was out with his father getting a tree. Celia's heartbeat, quicker than her older brother's, pattered along under Spike's chin. He passed a hand over her hair, the small head round and warm beneath his fingers. She smelled of Dawn and kin, and under that the faint tingly smell that meant Slayer.

 _Squeeze_ , urged his demon, which would never be silent, no matter how full he was with pig's blood. _Sweet. Tender. Bite! Drink! Taketaketake_... Spike flipped the demon off.

Celia bounced as they reached her favorite part, where the crocodile stalked Captain Hook.

"He's behiiind you," she sang.

"Right you are," Spike answered. "But think a bit first, pet. That Captain's a bad 'un. If you warn him, he'll be ready for the crocodile. He might kill old Croc with his cutlass and then come after you." Celia blinked up at him, her eyes round. "Maybe you should let them do each other in, eh?" The small girl looked dubious. "Chances are, you'll have to fight the winner. Which would you rather fight?"

"Croc!" she smiled broadly.

"And why's that? Croc's skin might be too tough to stake. Why do you want to fight him, then?"

The girl hooked a finger into her mouth, pulling her cheek to the side. "I like his teeth." She nodded, decisive.

Spike smiled, sniffing lest an unmanly tear betray him. "That's my girl."

The front door opened. Dawn and Buffy walked in, their arms full of shopping bags. Dawn quickly turned toward the bedroom before either Celia or Spike could catch sight of any logos.

"Come on, Monkey," Buffy crooked her finger at Celia, shedding her coat as she spoke. "Let's get in some training before suppertime." She kicked off her boots and headed for the basement.

Celia slid off the couch. She seized Spike's hand, tugging him in the direction Buffy had gone.

Spike followed them. His demon hissed, a hungry crocodile. It had tasted Slayer twice, but not again. His girls would live and fight and grow old, or he was no bleeding pirate.


End file.
